Debbie Laskey's Blog

Welcome to Debbie Laskey's insights and commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.

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Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Highlights of My #HolidayLeadershipSeries

This winter, following the inspiring footsteps of my previous #FallBacktoReadingSeries, #SpringLeadershipSeries, and #OlympicsLeadershipSeries, I’ve featured a series that addresses leadership and marketing as they pertain to the holiday season. I’ve posed the same questions to ten thought leaders, and I hope their responses add to your enjoyment of the holiday season.

But first, since today is New Year’s Eve and tomorrow is New Year’s Day, let’s take a moment to look at some key brands and how they’ve become so memorable.

Tonight, the world’s attention is tuned to New York City and Times Square. The city known as “The Big Apple” has hosted a memorable New Year’s Eve party every year since 1907, with the exception of 1942 and 1943. Hundreds of thousands flock to Times Square to watch a truly brilliant event: the crystal ball dropping as the final seconds of the year tick away toward midnight, ushering in a new year. According to the Times Square website: "Thanks to satellite technology, a worldwide audience estimated at over one billion people watch the ceremony each year. The lowering of the Ball has become the world's symbolic welcome to the New Year."

In addition to New York City, there are two other brands that lead their categories every day and especially on New Year’s Eve. They are Dom Pérignon, the world’s most well-known champagne, and Waterford, the world’s best-known crystal. According to the Times Square website, “The Ball is a geodesic sphere, 12 feet in diameter, and weighs 11,875 pounds. It is covered with a total of 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles that vary in size. Each crystal triangle has a special sparkling pattern. 192 crystal triangles are the Gift of Love design of overlapping hearts entwined together symbolizing love for family and friends.”

And once the evening turns into morning, the world’s attention turns to Pasadena, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. Home to approximately 140,000, Pasadena's population swells to the hundreds of thousands, possibly even a million, each year on January 1st. The city's main street is Colorado Boulevard, and that is where the action begins around 8am every January 1st. The attraction on New Year's Day is the annual Rose Parade, hosted by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. According to Wikipedia, "First held on January 1st, 1890, hundreds of thousands of spectators watch the Rose Parade in person, and millions more watch it on television – both in the U.S. and in more than 100 international territories and countries worldwide. The Rose Bowl college football game was added in 1902 to help fund the cost of staging the parade. Since 2011, Honda has sponsored the Rose Parade. Accordingly, the company has the parade's first float, which like all floats, follows the parade's theme."

ERIKA ANDERSEN:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Christmas trees

Holiday Advertisement: The Hershey’s Kisses “Jingle Bells” ad

Holiday Song: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” sung by Frank Sinatra

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Nat King Cole

Leadership Quote: “It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful.” ~Brené Brown

JAMES STROCK:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Eggnog

Holiday Advertisement: Budweiser’s Clydesdales and Coca-Cola’s sleigh ads

Holiday Song: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and Sir Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime”

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol”

Leadership Quote: “First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do.” ~Epictetus

ERIC JACOBSON:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Holiday Advertisement: Budweiser and Coca-Cola polar bear ads

Holiday Song: “Merry Christmas Darling” sung by Karen Carpenter

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Burl Ives

Leadership Quote: “Leaders are measured by the caliber of leaders they develop, not the caliber of their own leadership.” ~John C. Maxell

SHEP HYKEN:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Turkey with pumpkin pie a close second

Holiday Advertisement: Anheuser-Busch ads featuring Clydesdales and dogs

Holiday Song: “The 12 Days of CX-Mas” and a tie between the Charlie Brown Christmas song and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” sung by Bruce Springsteen

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Jerry Seinfeld, based on “Festivus”

Leadership Quote: “There is only one boss – the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money elsewhere.” ~Sam Walton

MELANIE BELL:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Lexus due to its “December to Remember” campaign

Holiday Advertisement: Air New Zealand’s “A Very Merry Mistake #MirryChristmus”

Holiday Song: “All I Want for Christmas” sung by Mariah Carey and “White Christmas” sung by Bing Crosby

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Charlie Brown

Leadership Quote: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” ~Lao Tzu

DOUG DICKERSON:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Coca-Cola

Holiday Advertisement: Budweiser Clydesdales

Holiday Song: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” sung by Andy Williams

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: John Travolta in a Capital One ad with the track “Staying Alive” sung by the Bee Gees referencing the iconic 1977 film “Saturday Night Fever” that starred Travolta (On a related note, in 2010, according to Wikipedia, "Saturday Night Fever" was deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.)

Leadership Quote: “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start.” ~Nido Qubein

MICHELLE REDFERN:

Most Memorable Brand/Product/Ad during the holiday season: John Lewis (store in the UK)

Holiday Song: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” sung by Michael Bublé

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: All our personal brands stand out during the holiday season, irrespective of our personal philosophies.

Leadership Quote: “There are three types of people in the world. Those who make things happen. Those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Always aim to be in category number one.” ~Michelle Redfern (thanks to a former manager)

REBECCA RUCKER:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Coca-Cola due to its ads featuring Santa Claus, polar bears, and “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”

Holiday Advertisement: Coca-Cola’s polar bear ads

Holiday Song: 1971: Coca-Cola’s “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony”

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Opray Winfrey

Leadership Quote: The quote I return to again and again is found in the old Cherokee story, "The Wolf You Feed." It goes like this:

One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

SUSAN FRIESEN:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Lindor chocolates

Holiday Advertisement: WestJet’s holiday commercials

Holiday Song: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Mariah Carey (Who doesn’t have an image of her singing her iconic song “All I Want for Christmas?” right now? That’s the sign of an exceptional personal brand.)

Leadership Quote: “It is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” ~Roy Disney

DEB KRIER:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: Coca-Cola

Holiday Advertisement: The Hershey’s Kisses “Jingle Bells” ad

Holiday Song: “Silent Night,” “White Christmas,” and “Joy to the World”

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Santa, Rudolph, and Hermey the Elf

Leadership Quote: “Being different isn’t a bad thing, it means you’re brave enough to be yourself.” ~Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

DEBBIE LASKEY:

Brand/Product that is most memorable during the holiday season: NORAD

Holiday Advertisement: 1993: “Ingle Ells, Ingle Ells, don’t forget the J&B”

Holiday Song: “Jingle Bell Rock”

Personal Brand that stands out during the holiday season: Queen Elizabeth II

Leadership Quote: “Leadership doesn’t require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others.” ~Mark Herbert

My gratitude to these amazing thought leaders for appearing on my blog, for sharing their insights, and for virtually celebrating the holiday season together! Happy holidays, and see you on #DebbieLaskeysBlog in 2025!

Image Credit: OllyMolly via Freepik.

Monday, December 30, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Deb Krier

Thursday, December 26, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Susan Friesen

With the arrival of the holiday season, it's time for the memorable end-of-the-year advertising campaigns and familiar music to hit the airwaves; our TV's, radios, and computer/tablet/smartphone screens will be bombarded by reminders of the season. Since I've been honored to share several inspiring series on my blog over the last year including my #FallBacktoReadingSeries, #SpringLeadershipSeries, and #OlympicsLeadershipSeries, I've decided to end the year with my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Since today's featured guest is from Canada, I'd like to share some basics about Boxing Day so that we can all join in the festivities. Celebrated on December 26th, the day after Christmas, Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part of Christmas celebrations. It is celebrated in Great Britain and some Commonwealth countries, particularly Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

According to Britannica, "Explanations for the origin of the name have varied, with some believing that it derived from the opening of alms boxes that had been placed in churches for the collection of donations to aid the poor. Others have held that it came from the boxes of gifts given to employees on the day after Christmas. According to this theory, because the work of servants was required for the Christmas Day celebrations of their employers, they were allowed the following day for their own observance of the holiday. When December 26th comes on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is designated as the official public holiday."

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Susan Friesen, based in Canada. Susan is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia's premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she's an expert in helping businesses to establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity. Her passion for empowering female entrepreneurs to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the marketing industry.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?
SUSAN FRIESEN: Lindor chocolates exemplify a memorable holiday brand. Their strategic packaging and promotion cater to a range of occasions, from Halloween to New Year's. By introducing seasonal flavours and themed packaging, Lindor ensures that they stand out and remain an easy choice for consumers navigating the candy aisle.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?
SUSAN FRIESEN: I find WestJet's holiday commercials to be truly remarkable, thanks to their well-thought-out campaign of gift-giving called, "The WestJet Christmas Miracle." For their 2023 campaign, they honoured Canadian travel industry workers by reuniting these holiday heroes with their loved ones by flying their families from around the world to Canada. It's always exciting to observe their behind-the-scenes strategy and planning, and then witness the fulfillment of giving such incredible gifts.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?
SUSAN FRIESEN: Since my husband usually starts thinking about the holidays in mid-October, our favourite song that starts the whole season off is, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." We typically don't see any snow at that time yet, but the cooler weather brings the promise of snow and the Christmas season soon to come.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays, and why? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)
SUSAN FRIESEN: The personal brand that stands out for me each Christmas season is Mariah Carey. Who doesn't have a vivid image in their mind right now of her kneeling in the snow in her red outfit from the cover of her famous album, "Merry Christmas," which premiered her iconic song, "All I Want for Christmas" by just hearing her name? That's the sign of an exceptional personal brand. Despite her losing her bid to register the "Queen of Christmas" brand in 2022, she will always be my Queen of Christmas!

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE, and why?
SUSAN FRIESEN: I love this quote by Roy Disney: "It is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." This quote resonates with me because running a business and leading a team are fundamentally based on integrity, which stems from our values. It is much easier to make decisions when our values are clearly defined, which I have instinctively done for the past 21 years of running my company, eVision Media!

My gratitude to Susan for sharing her leadership insights and for being a part of my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

Monday, December 23, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Rebecca Rucker

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

But first, as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, Chanukah (December 25-January 2), and Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1) this week, let's review the origins of and some interesting facts about these holidays.

According to the History Channel, "Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25th, Christmas Day, has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870."

According to the History Channel, "Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah, Hanukah, Hannukah, or Chanukkah) celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem during the second century B.C., following the triumph of a small group of Jewish rebels, known as the Maccabees, against their oppressors, the Greek-Syrians, who had defiled the temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls. In order to rededicate the temple, the Maccabees had to light a menorah that would burn within the temple at all times. However, they only had enough pure olive oil to last for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, leaving time to find a fresh supply of oil...The first day of Hanukkah can come as early as November or as late as the end of December, which means occasionally Hanukkah overlaps with Thanksgiving or Christmas. The last time we celebrated Thanksgivukkah was in 2013. Hanukkah and Christmas saw duel celebrations in 2005 and will converge again in 2024."

According to the History Channel, "Maulana Karenga, a Black nationalist who later became a college professor, created Kwanzaa as a way of uniting and empowering the African American community in the aftermath of the deadly Watts Rebellion in Los Angeles. Having modeled his holiday on traditional African harvest festivals, he took the name "Kwanzaa" from the Swahili phrase, "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits." The seven principles of Kwanzaa are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. In order to avoid over-commercialization, gifts handed out to family members on the last day of Kwanzaa are often homemade. Alternatively, some participants buy books, music, art accessories or other culturally-themed products, preferably from a Black-owned business."

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Rebecca Rucker. Rebecca is a psychotherapist based in Houston, Texas. We met via a virtual book club, Leaders Who Fiction led by Melanie Bell. Rebecca belongs to the Leaders Who Fiction book club because she enjoys the quality of the discussions about leadership that transpires among the book club members. When not reading fiction, she meets with a weekly group of eclectic elders who study the works of Shakespeare.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

REBECCA RUCKER: My first memory of a brand was the Coca-Cola Santa Claus series in the 1960s. Their Santa Claus picture was right out of the Norman Rockwall era. He was pictured as a jolly gentleman in the classic red suit with a white beard drinking Coca-Cola. In one of the commercials, he had a polar bear on his knee. In the 1990's, the polar bear would become another Coca-Cola iconic symbol of the holidays, but the bears were proceeded by "I'd like to teach the world to sing" in a series of commercials in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

REBECCA RUCKER: As much as I loved the original Coca-Cola Santa Claus, when the polar bears came along for the Christmas Coke commercials, I knew it was Christmastime. The simplicity and beauty of those commercials with their message of "sharing a Coke" or "helping a friend and sharing a Coke" are such a powerful message of peace at Christmas. To me, these Coke commercials are as iconic as the Budweiser Clydesdales' commercials with their horses for the Superbowl commercials. There is something quite hopeful from the messages that those animals convey.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?

REBECCA RUCKER: As I mentioned in the Coke commercials, the song, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony" is one of my favorite commercial songs during the holiday season. Coke has a series of memorable jingles that create mind worms in the brain like "Coke is It" and "Can't Beat the Feeling" from the 1980's to "Always Coca-Cola" and "Open Happiness" in the 1990's. Their message of positivity in songs and jingles goes well with the videos they produce about hope and prosperity.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)

REBECCA RUCKER: While she is no longer on television everyday, Oprah Winfrey leads personal branding at Christmas as many of us wait to hear what is on her list of Favorite Things. Companies small and large seem to grow with abundance when they make the "Oprah list" each holiday season. While on television, Oprah became known for giving away items ranging from vacations, gifts, books, to even cars. However, it is her influence on the buying public with what she selects on her "Favorite Things" list that exceeds in sales all of the giveaways she did on her show. Only Oprah could transition acts of generosity into acts of buying sprees by the public from her hand-selected list!

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE, and why?

REBECCA RUCKER: The quote I return to again and again is found in the old Cherokee story, "The Wolf You Feed." It goes like this:

When I make daily choices, I often find myself asking which wolf I am feeding. To me, a good quote is one that you remember, are able to ponder, and from that reflection, make your best decision.

Monday, December 16, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Michelle Redfern

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Michelle Redfern, a globally-recognized gender equality, diversity, and inclusion strategist based in Australia. She advises organizations in the business and sporting sectors on DEI strategy development and implementation and works directly with women leaders to advance their careers. She has been recognized as one of Australia's Top 100 Women of Influence and has won awards for her contributions to women's advancement. She is passionate about what sets her soul on fire, closing the global leadership gender gap, and enabling women to have a career that soars!

QUESTION: What BRAND, PRODUCT, or ADVERTISEMENT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

MICHELLE REDFERN: Whilst I am generally in the southern hemisphere over the Christmas holiday break, and it's hot and summery, I think about John Lewis in the UK because their Christmas advertisement is so well known, so beautifully produced, and often beautifully heartwarming. The themes they bring to life, seeing Christmas through the eyes of children and being kind and inclusive, speak volumes to me.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?

MICHELLE REDFERN: I cannot go past Michael Bublé singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." Bublé has a magnificent voice and is often very, very funny at his own expense. He seems like a decent human being who epitomizes the goodness and kindness that the Christmas spirit embodies.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)

MICHELLE REDFERN: I'd like to think that all our personal brands stand out during Christmas, irrespective of our personal philosophies. It's a time of year, regardless of one's beliefs, to stop, breathe, and reflect on how to be kinder, more compassionate, and to have empathy for those who are not as privileged and fortunate as ourselves. Of course, I'd like that to happen all year around!

Monday, December 9, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Doug Dickerson

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Doug Dickerson, based in South Carolina. Doug has more than 30 years of experience in various leadership positions and first appeared on my Blog back in 2010, after I read his inspiring book, "Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders." I then appeared on his podcast several times, and we discussed the intersection of leadership and marketing. As Doug explains on his blog, "My purpose isn't complicated. I am here to share my leadership insights and perspectives in hopes to cut through the clutter and give it to you straight up and simple. My desire is that you will come away inspired, encouraged, challenged, and better equipped as a leader."

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

DOUG DICKERSON: Many stand out, but I think the most memorable over time is Coca-Cola. The brand has been around for decades, and during the holidays, it has always stood out with strong imaging and messaging.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

DOUG DICKERSON: Budweiser beer, and more specifically, the Clydesdale horses. For years, that has been a memorable product. The horses are amazing, and ads featuring them are feel-good advertisements.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?

DOUG DICKERSON: My favorite holiday song is "It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year" sung by Andy Williams. It embodies everything about the season that makes it special - and renews my hope for humanity.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)

DOUG DICKERSON: One that stands out for me features John Travolta in a Capital One commercial with the track "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees. It's just a fun, feel-good advertisement.

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE, and why?

DOUG DICKERSON: I like the following quote because it reminds us all that we do not have to be defined or limited by our past and that the path forward is full of unlimited possibilities if we work hard:

"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start." ~Nido Qubein

Monday, December 2, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Melanie Bell

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Melanie Bell, based in Houston, Texas. Melanie is the Co-Founder of Strategic Piece, a company that helps B2B businesses generate outstanding revenue growth by bringing together their marketing, sales, and service teams around an information-driven customer experience. However, Melanie is not only about marketing. She founded Leaders Who Fiction, a virtual monthly book club (where we met!), while running Strategic Piece. Through Leaders Who Fiction, Melanie helps people develop leadership skills by reading fiction and participating in intellectual, business-oriented conversations centered around a selected novel. Prior to Strategic Piece, Melanie was President of Marketing Interface, which she founded in 2014, after serving as Director of Marketing at SURGE Accelerator/SURGE Ventures. Melanie earned a BA in International Development from McGill University in Montreal and an MBA from Rice University in Houston.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

MELANIE BELL: I had fun brainstorming answers to this question: Reese's, Hallmark, Butterball, and the Salvation Army came to mind. However, what I thought of first was Lexus. They do a fantastic job advertising their "December to Remember" sale every year. The ads are run frequently during sports games, and the rhyming name of the campaign makes it memorable to the viewership.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

MELANIE BELL: An ad entitled, "A Very Merry Mistake #MirryChristmus" from Air New Zealand a few years ago. The humor is so effective at getting the message across. I just love it. I think both New Zealanders and non-New Zealanders can appreciate this ad. I'm glad you asked this question because it gave me an excuse to watch the video again!

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?

MELANIE BELL: My favorite guilty pleasure song is Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas." Please don't judge me too harshly! My all-time favorite holiday song is Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." I would love to see some more Thanksgiving-related songs because I have a strict rule to not listen to Christmas music until after U.S. Thanksgiving. I'm not a fan of the "Christmas creep" (Christmas extending into October and even earlier). However, I could listen to either of these songs at any time of the year and immediately get into the holiday spirit. They inspire nostalgia and festiveness.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)

MELANIE BELL: I hope people will agree that fictional characters can have personal brands, in which case I nominate Charlie Brown (though The Grinch is a close runner-up). He is in holiday movie classics for Halloween (It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown), Thanksgiving (A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving), Christmas (A Charlie Brown Christmas), and New Year (Happy New Year, Charlie Brown).

Across generations, he has played an important part of many people's holiday season from start to finish.

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE, and why?

MELANIE BELL: There are so many great ones! As I was scanning through options, this one jumped out at me, so I'll call it my favorite (for now, at least):

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." ~Lao Tzu

To me, what separates leaders from non-leaders is the ability to inspire, motivate, and activate people around you. To accomplish this to such a degree that your followers don't even see that dynamic happening is ideal, and one of the key things required in this scenario is that the leader's ego can't get in the way.

While there are many flavors of this quote available from many noteworthy people, Lao Tzu’s version strikes me as simple and artful.

Monday, November 25, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Shep Hyken

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

But first, as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, let's review the origins of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday.

According to History.com, "Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. It wasn't until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous that it has become synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been part of the Pilgrims' 1621 inaugural feast. Today, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City's Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting 2-to-3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience."

The Friday after Thanksgiving is known as "Black Friday," and marks the official beginning of the Christmas holiday shopping season. According to Wikipedia, "Many stores offer highly promoted sales at discounted prices and often open early, sometimes as early as midnight or even on Thanksgiving. Attempts at rebranding to "Big Friday" failed, and the term "Black Friday" solidified by the 1980's, referring to the pivotal point where retailers purportedly shifted from loss ("in the red") to profit ("in the black"). Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States."

And the Monday following Thanksgiving is known as "Cyber Monday," a marketing invention first observed in 2005 by online retailer shop.org. Seen as an online version of Black Friday, Cyber Monday was created to allow customers to shop online from the comfort of their offices and homes.

According to TimeAndDate.com, "The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is traditionally considered to be the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. On this day, brick and mortar retailers have sales and provide massive discounts to attract customers, making it one of the busiest shopping days of the year. As a result, many people tend to stay away from stores to avoid crowds. Additionally, Thanksgiving weekend is also one of the busiest travel weekends in the US when people travel around the country to be with their families. Such travel may mean that many customers miss Black Friday deals and sales. It is thought that Cyber Monday was created as a way to encourage such customers to shop without having to visit brick and mortar stores. Online retailers offer deals, often posting the kind of deals and sales they will have on online forums and websites, several weeks and days ahead. It is thought that a large percentage of the shopping on this day is done during work hours. In addition, other countries including Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom now have their own version of Cyber Monday."

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Shep Hyken. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Shep is a customer service/customer experience expert, award-winning keynote speaker, researcher, and New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. As the Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations, Shep helps his clients create amazing experiences for their customers and employees.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

SHEP HYKEN: My favorite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving. So, my favorite product is...Turkey (with pumpkin pie being a close second).

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

SHEP HYKEN: All the sentimental Anheuser-Busch commercials that feature Clydesdales and dogs. They just make me feel good!

QUESTION: What is your favorite PIECE OF MUSIC or SONG during the holiday season?

SHEP HYKEN: If we stay in the CX world, I have to go with "The 12 days of CX-Mas." Why? I had FUN with some of my CX peeps!

If you want a more legitimate answer, it's a tie between the Charlie Brown Christmas song and Bruce Springsteen's "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town."

Why? They just make me feel good and happy!

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and no religious choices.)

SHEP HYKEN: Let's go with my favorite comedian, Jerry Seinfeld. I can't think of a holiday that I didn't hear people say at a holiday dinner the line, "Festivus for the rest of us!"

QUESTION: Since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE?

SHEP HYKEN: For a holiday-themed leadership quote:

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more." ~Dr. Seuss

And here's my favorite leadership quote:

"There is only one boss - the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money elsewhere." ~Sam Walton

Monday, November 18, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Eric Jacobson

With the arrival of the holiday season, it's time for the memorable end-of-the-year advertising campaigns and familiar music to hit the airwaves; our TV's, radios, and computer/tablet/smartphone screens will be bombarded by reminders of the season. Since I've been honored to share several inspiring series on my blog over the last year including my #FallBacktoReadingSeries, #SpringLeadershipSeries, and #OlympicsLeadershipSeries, I've decided to end the year with my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Eric Jacobson, based in Kansas City, Missouri. Eric has three decades of experience in successfully leading employees and teams through periods of revenue growth, new product development, and re-engineering. He is an experienced mentor and coach and holds an MBA Degree from Keller Graduate School. His passion is helping individuals to become effective leaders at work, within organizations, and wherever they are called upon to lead and inspire. Eric’s writings about leadership and management appear regularly on his blog, and he's a regular contributor to my leadership series.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?
ERIC JACOBSON: The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is the most memorable brand during the holiday season, because for me, it is the event that I have watched ever since I can remember. Starting in 1924, it has been held continuously except from 1942 to 1944. And after watching it on TV nearly every year beginning in my pre-teen years, I finally attended it in person during the 1990's. The crowd, frigid cold temperatures, and sitting just feet away from the signature giant helium balloons are forever memorable. Also, I would visit Macy's famous Herald Square store (on 34th street) where the parade ends on multiple business and vacation trips to New York City.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?
ERIC JACOBSON: All the Budweiser and Coca-Cola (especially those featuring the polar bear) TV commercials are my favorites. The Budweiser holiday ads connect with all audiences, tug at the heartstrings, and bring me smiles during the holiday season. Same for the Coca-Cola holiday-themed commercials. Both companies' holiday ads feel very nostalgic, and that evokes great holiday season memories for me.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?
ERIC JACOBSON: I enjoy virtually all holiday music and listen to my radio between Thanksgiving to New Year's Day every year to enjoy the radio stations that play holiday music all day long during that time period.

However, my most favorite song is "Merry Christmas Darling" by the Carpenters, featuring the gifted and impeccable voice of Karen Carpenter. The song is my favorite on their "Christmas Portrait Songbook" album, which is the first Christmas-themed record I purchased when I first started collecting vinyl.

In one of music publication Billboard's lists of all-time top holiday songs, they wrote, "Her vocal on Merry Christmas Darling as she longs for her loved one, who is away for Christmas and New Year's Day, is pure, sublime perfection. She conveys the perfect mix of yearning, sadness, and hope since she knows, even though it is unspoken, they will be joyfully reunited after the holidays. Over 50 years since its release, it is still the soundtrack for any college couples separated during the holiday break."

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)
ERIC JACOBSON: Musician, singer, and actor Burl Ives. The holidays would not be the same without hearing Ives narrate the still-popular 1964 animated television movie, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Similarly, I always look forward to hearing him singing the iconic "Silver and Gold" song (featured in the movie) during the holiday season.

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE?
ERIC JACOBSON: Here's my favorite: "Leaders are measured by the caliber of leaders they develop, not the caliber of their own leadership" by John C. Maxell. You will find this and many other valuable leadership quotes in his book entitled, "The 5 Levels of Leadership."

Monday, November 11, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring James Strock

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

First, let's recognize today's significance. It is known as Veteran's Day, Armistice Day, and Remembrance Day. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, "World War I – known at the time as "The Great War" – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of "the war to end all wars." Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good."

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce James Strock. James is an independent writer, speaker, reformer and entrepreneur, based in Southern California. He's the author of several books about leadership, politics, Ronald Reagan, and Theodore Roosevelt - and I've had the honor of learning from him since we first met back in 2011.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

JAMES STROCK: Eggnog is a product that many of us identify with during the holiday season. It fits with cold weather. For most, it's an indulgence that is not replicated throughout the rest of the year.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

JAMES STROCK: Budweiser's Clydesdale ads and Coca Cola's sleigh ads are enduring classics, even for many of us who rarely imbibe their products.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?

JAMES STROCK: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a wonderful classic: energetic, happy, and natural for groups to sing together. I'm also fond of Sir Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime," an earworm par excellence.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)

JAMES STROCK: Charles Dickens's "Christmas Carol" endures because the archetypes are evergreen, from Scrooge through the Cratchit family. These are fictional characters who come to life for most anyone. The roles attract top actors and are accessible for amateur and student productions.

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE, and why?

JAMES STROCK: I have many favorites, so I can answer this one differently on any given day. Today I'll go with Epictetus: "First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do."

My gratitude to Jim for sharing his leadership insights and for being a part of my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

Monday, November 4, 2024

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Erika Andersen

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Erika Andersen. I've had the pleasure of knowing Erika for many years, and she first appeared in a Q&A on my blog in 2011. She is the founding partner of Proteus, where she and her colleagues support leaders at all levels to get ready and stay ready to meet the future. Erika advises senior executives and also shares her insights through her books, speaking engagements, and social media. In addition to her latest book, Change from the Inside Out, she is the author of four previous best-selling books: Be Bad First, Leading So People Will Follow, Being Strategic, and Growing Great Employees. Erika is also a popular leadership blogger at Forbes.com, and the creator and host of the Proteus Leader Show podcast.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: For me, Christmas trees have the most positive associations. My parents were not religious (my Mom, in fact, was a confirmed atheist), but they loved Christmas, and we always went all in. For us, it was a time of joy, hope, gratitude, and for the sharing of love through gifts (never lavish, always meaningful), food, and time together.

Finding, bringing home, and decorating our Christmas tree was the start of the season. When we were kids, lots of the tree decorations were homemade: strings of popcorn and cranberries; paper loops glued together into chains; clumsy, sweet ornaments we made at school.

Even now, when our end-of-year holidays are spent in Spain with a man-made (but still very realistic!) Christmas tree, I still have ornaments that were my Mom’s as a child, and these now 100-year-old delicate glass baubles are a wonderful reminder of her.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: I love simple, classic holiday ads. Perhaps, my favorite Christmas ad of all time is the Hershey's Kiss "Jingle Bell" ad. It’s such a wonderful example of promoting a product in a timeless, clever, celebratory way. I understand that Hershey's has been using this ad since 1989. Hard to imagine how anyone could dislike it because it embodies joy without incorporating anything controversial or divisive.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: Wow, this is a hard one. I adore Christmas music – we have a rule in our house that I can't start playing Christmas music till after Thanksgiving – otherwise it’s overkill for my husband!

However, when I read this question, the first song that popped into my head was "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," the Frank Sinatra version. It always brings tears to my eyes. It really captures, for me, the hopeful, loving spirit of the season.

The Internet just informed me that it was written for Judy Garland in her 1944 movie, "Meet Me in St. Louis," and has since been recorded by at least 65 different artists.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays, and why? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)

ERIKA ANDERSEN: Nat King Cole. Though he was well-known for many, many non-Christmas hits ("Embraceable You" is one of my favorites), for me, the clarity and warmth of his voice are the essence of the season. In fact, my Mom always used to put him on the stereo when we were decorating the tree. His album, "The Joy of Christmas" is still one of the best-selling Christmas albums. To me, he always sounded like he was thinking about how wonderful the holiday season can be, and encouraging us to experience it with him.

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: As you know, Debbie, I have roughly a zillion favorite leadership quotes and can usually offer one that's appropriate for almost any circumstance. So, here's one that seems perfect for the holiday season from Brené Brown: "It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it's gratitude that makes us joyful."

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

ERIKA ANDERSEN:

JAMES STROCK:

ERIC JACOBSON:

SHEP HYKEN:

MELANIE BELL:

DOUG DICKERSON:

MICHELLE REDFERN:

REBECCA RUCKER:

SUSAN FRIESEN:

DEB KRIER:

DEBBIE LASKEY:

Monday, December 30, 2024

SHARE THIS: Being different isn't a bad thing, it means you're brave enough to be yourself. ~Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer via @DebKrier #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Thursday, December 26, 2024

SHARE THIS: It is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. ~Roy Disney via @eVisionMedia #DebbieLaskeysBlog #HolidayLeadershipSeries

Monday, December 23, 2024

SHARE THIS: A good quote is one that you remember, are able to ponder, and from that reflection, make your best decision. ~Rebecca Rucker #DebbieLaskeysBlog #HolidayLeadershipSeries

Monday, December 16, 2024

SHARE THIS: I'd like to think that all our personal brands stand out during Christmas, irrespective of our personal philosophies. ~@RedfernMichelle #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: There are three types of people in the world. Those who make things happen. Those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Always aim to be in category number one. ~@RedfernMichelle #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Monday, December 9, 2024

SHARE THIS: Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start." ~@NidoQubein via @DougDickersonSC #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Monday, December 2, 2024

SHARE THIS: What separates leaders from non-leaders is the ability to inspire, motivate, and activate people around you. ~Melanie Bell (@bell_melanie_a) #DebbieLaskeysBlog #HolidayLeadershipSeries

Monday, November 25, 2024

SHARE THIS: There is only one boss - the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money elsewhere. ~Sam Walton via @hyken #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Monday, November 18, 2024

SHARE THIS: Leaders are measured by the caliber of leaders they develop, not the caliber of their own leadership. ~John C. Maxell via @EricJacobsonKC #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: When there is blame, the leader should be in the forefront. When credit is due, the leader should be in the background. ~@EricJacobsonKC #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Monday, November 11, 2024

SHARE THIS: First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do. ~Epictetus via @jamesstrock #DebbieLaskeysBlog #HolidayLeadershipSeries

Monday, November 4, 2024

SHARE THIS: It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it's gratitude that makes us joyful. ~Brené Brown via @ErikaAndersen #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog